Taxonomic Status of Diplectanum robustitubum Wu & Li, 2003 (Monogenoidea: Diplectanidae) from the Purple-Spotted Bigeye Priacanthus tayenus (Priacanthidae) and the Description of Platycephalotrema parile n. sp. (Monogenoidea: Dactylogyridae) from the Bartail Flathead Platycephalus indicus (Platycephalidae), in the Arabian Gulf.

Purple-spotted bigeyes Priacanthus tayenus Richardson (Priacanthidae) and bartail flathead Platycephalus indicus (Linnaeus) (Platycephalidae) were collected from the Arabian Gulf and examined for species of Monogenoidea (Polyonchoinea) from February to December 2020. Diplectanum robustitubum Wu & Li, 2003 and an undescribed species of Platycephalotrema Kritsky & Nitta, 2019 were recovered from the gill lamellae of these hosts, respectively. Diplectanum robustitubum from Iraq was redescribed and transferred to Oliveriplectanum Domingues & Boeger, 2008 (Diplectanidae) as Oliveriplectanum robustitubum (Wu & Li, 2003) n. comb. Platycephalotrema parile n. sp. (Dactylogyridae) from Iraq and Kuwait was described and differentiated from the similar species, Haliotrema indicum Tripathi, 1959, Platycephalotrema ogawai Kritsky & Nitta, 2019, and Platycephalotrema platycephali (Yin & Sproston, 1948) Kritsky & Nitta, 2019, based primarily on the comparative morphologies of the vaginal sclerites. Haliotrema indicum was transferred to Platycephalotrema as Platycephalotrema indicum (Tripathi, 1959) n. comb. and Haliotrema swatowense Yao, Wang, Xia, & Chen, 1998 was considered a junior subjective synonym of P. indicum. The finding of O. robustitubum in the Arabian Gulf represents a new geographic record for the species. BACKGROUND: The present paper represents the third installment concerning the monogenoids collected during surveys to explore their diversity on the marine and freshwater fishes of Iraq. Previous installments on the monogenoids emanating from the surveys included the dactylogyrid and gyrodactylid species parasitizing mugilid fishes. PURPOSE: The purpose of this paper is to further document the diversity of monogenoids infecting the fishes of Iraq. METHODS: Marine fishes were necropsied for parasites, and standard procedures for collecting, mounting, drawing, and measuring of monogenoids were employed. RESULTS: Oliveriplectanum robustitubum n. comb. (Diplectanidae) and Platycephalotrema parile n. sp. (Dactylogyridae) were collected. The occurrence of O. robustitubum in the Arabian Gulf represented a new locality record for the species. CONCLUSION: The recorded presence of O. robustitubum and P. parile n. sp. suggests that the diversity of monogenoids in Iraq is under estimated in the literature.

The Description of Neoechinorhynchus miniovalis n. sp. (Acanthocephala: Neoechinorhynchidae) from the Mudskipper Boleophthalmus dussumieri Valenciennes (Gobiiformes: Oxudercidae) in Shatt Al-Basrah Canal Southern Iraq.

PURPOSE: The aim of this article is to describe a new and unusual species of Neoechinoprhynchus Stiles & Hassall, 1905 from the Arabian Gulf coast off Iraq. METHODS: Routine methods for examination of fish hosts and recovery of acanthocephalean parasites were followed. Parasites were cleaned, relaxed overnight in refrigerated water then fixed in cold 70% ethanol. Standard procedure for staining, dehydration, clearing in xylene and mounting in Canada balsam was followed. RESULTS: Neoechinorhynchus miniovalis n. sp. is described from five whole-mounted specimens collected from the mudskipper Boleophthalmus dussumieri Valenciennes (Oxudericidae) captured in Shatt Al-Basrah Canal, Iraq in 2008. It is distinguished from other species of Neoechinorhynchus Stiles and Hassall, 1905 by a combination of the following diagnostic characters: very small ellipsoid trunk with tapering posterior end and correspondingly small size organs; body wall with similar thickness dorso-ventrally; proboscis wider than long with long anterior hooks having prominent roots; hooks in second and third circles much smaller and rootless; receptacle 5-6 times as long as proboscis with a triangular cephalic ganglion at its base; no para-receptacle structure; lemnisci relatively long and equal, not reaching anterior testis; all male reproductive structures contiguous in posterior two-thirds of trunk; testes equatorial and much wider than long; anterior testis smaller than posterior testis; large syncytial cement gland with six giant nuclei; cement reservoir adjacent to anterior end of sperm vesicle adjacent to Saefftigen's pouch. No sexual dimorphism except that the trunk is more rounded in females than in males. The female reproductive system is about one-third as long as the trunk with the selective apparatus in two positions and uterine bell angulating ventrad. Female lemnisci are longer than in males. Comparisons with worldwide and North American-related species that have partially similar features are made. CONCLUSIONS: The finding of Neoechinorhynchus miniovalis n. sp. with unusual small body and wide ellipsoid shape acanthocephalan is considered the first acanthocephalan species belonging to Neoechinorhynchus reported from Palearctic region compared to similar seven species reported only from Neotropical (three species), Nearctic regions (two species), far east (one species) and oriental (one species).

Two new species of Dichelyne Jägerskiöld, 1902 (Nematoda: Cucullanidae) parasitising marine fishes in Iraq.

Recent examinations of some marine fishes from off the southern coast of Iraq revealed the presence of two new species of Dichelyne (Dichelyne) Jägerskiöld, 1902 (Nematoda: Cucullanidae), both intestinal parasites, namely: D. (D.) lethrini n. sp. from the smalltooth emperor Lethrinus microdon Valenciennes (Lethrinidae, Acanthuriformes) and D. (D.) iraqiensis n. sp. from the humphead snapper Lutjanus sanguineus (Cuvier) (Lutjanidae, Acanthuriformes). Specimens are described and illustrated based on light and scanning electron microscopical examinations. Dichelyne (D.) lethrini n. sp. is mainly characterised by the length of spicules (522 µm), presence of a dorsal caecum, location of deirids at the level of the posterior end of oesophagus and the post-oesophageal position of the excretory pore, number (10 pairs) and distribution of caudal papillae in the male, and the presence of two minute terminal spines on the female tail tip. Dichelyne (D.) iraqiensis n. sp. differs from the species of the subgenus Dichelyne mainly based on the absence of caudal spines, the presence of a dorsal caecum, the length of spicules (789-884 µm), the location of deirids and the excretory pore approximately at the same level, and the size of eggs (72-78 × 42-51 µm). These new species infecting marine fishes in Iraq represent new geographic records of cucullanids of the subgenus Dichelyne from fishes in marine waters off Iraq.

Two new and one newly recorded gonad-infecting species of Philometra Costa, 1845 (Nematoda: Philometridae) parasitising marine fishes in Iraq.

Specimens of two undescribed and one known gonad-infecting species of Philometra Costa, 1845 (Nematoda: Philometridae) were collected in some marine fishes from off the southern coast of Iraq. Based on light and scanning electron microscopy, the following new species are described: Philometra tayeni n. sp. (males and nongravid females) from ovaries of the purple-spotted bigeye Priacanthus tayenus Richardson (Priacanthidae, Acanthuriformes), and Philometra nibeae n. sp. (males and gravid female) from the ovary of the blotched croaker Nibea maculata (Bloch et Schneider) (Sciaenidae, Acanthuriformes). Philometra tayeni is mainly characterised by a pair of postanal papillae and a V-shaped caudal mound in males and by their body lengths (2.42-2.99 mm), whereas P. nibeae differs from its gonad-infecting congeners parasitising scienids mainly based on the body length of males (2.29-2.49 mm) and their spicules (96-117 µm), absence of a pair of postanal papillae and shape of caudal mound consisting of two parts. Philometra piscaria Moravec & Justine, 2014 (males and nongravid females), a parasite of the orange-spotted grouper Epinephelus coioides (Hamilton) (Epinephelidae, Perciformes), is recorded from the Arabian (= Persian) Gulf for the first time; previously unknown females of this species are described.

Five species of Philometra Costa, 1845 (Nematoda: Philometridae) newly recorded from marine fishes in Iraq, including the description of P. arabiensis sp. n. from the ovary of the shrimp scad Alepes djedaba (Carangidae).

Recent examinations of some marine fishes from off the southern coast of Iraq revealed the presence of five species of Philometra Costa, 1845 (Nematoda: Philometridae): Philometra arabiensis sp. n. (males and females) from the ovary of the shrimp scad Alepes djedaba (Forsskål) (Carangidae, Carangiformes), Philometra psettoditis Moravec, Walter et Yuniar, 2012 (females) from the body cavity of the Indian halibut Psettodes erumei (Bloch et Schneider) (Psettodidae, Pleuronectiformes), Philometra terapontis Moravec, Gopalakrishnan, Rajkumar, Saravanakumar et Kaliyamoorthy, 2011 (female) from the ovary of the jarbua terapon Terapon jarbua (Forsskål) (Terapontidae, Centrarchiformes), Philometra sp. (females) from the ovary of the Arabian blackspot threadfin Polydactylus mullani (Hora) (Polynemidae, Carangariformes) and Philometra sp. 2 of Moravec et al. (2016a) (females) from the ovary and body cavity of the bartail flathead Platycephalus indicus (Linnaeus) (Platycephalidae, Perciformes). Philometra arabiensis sp. n. is mainly characterised by the length of spicules (198-243 µm) and gubernaculum (75-99 µm), the gubernaculum/spicule length ratio (1 : 2.33-2.79), the structure of the gubernaculum distal portion and the male caudal end, and the body length of males (1.86-2.73 mm). The present findings of P. psettoditis and P. terapontis in fishes of the Arabian Gulf represent new geographical records for these parasites.

Records of two gonad-infecting species of Philometra (Nematoda: Philometridae) from marine fishes off Iraq, including the description of Philometra parabrevicollis n. sp. from the bigeye snapper Lutjanus lutjanus Bloch (Pisces, Lutjanidae).

Recent examinations of some marine fishes from off the southern coast of Iraq revealed the presence of two species of Philometra Costa, 1845 (Nematoda: Philometridae): P. parabrevicollis n. sp. (males and subgravid and nongravid females) from the ovary of the bigeye snapper Lutjanus lutjanus Bloch (Perciformes, Lutjanidae) and Philometra sp. (subgravid females) from the ovary of the bartail flathead Platycephalus indicus (Linnaeus) (Perciformes, Platycephalidae). Specimens of species are described and illustrated based on light and scanning electron microscopical examinations. Philometra parabrevicollis n. sp. is mainly characterised by the length of spicules (267-285 µm) and gubernaculum (159-168 µm), the gubernaculum/spicule length ratio (1:1.64-1.76), the structure of the gubernaculum distal tip and of the male caudal end, and the body length of males (4.03-4.90 mm). The description of this new species again confirms a high degree of host specificity of gonad-infecting species of Philometra in congeneric lutjanid hosts. Although Philometra sp. parasitising P. indicus in Iraqi waters was previously recorded, its subgravid females are described for the first time. A key to gonad-infecting species of Philometra parasitic in fishes of the family Lutjanidae is provided.

Pseudanuretes anfoozi n. sp. (Copepoda: Siphonostomatoida: Caligidae) from the yellowbar angelfish Pomacanthus maculosus (Forsskål) in coral reefs off Iraq.

A new species of Pseudanuretes Yamaguti, 1936 (Copepoda: Caligidae) parasitic on the gills of the yellowbar angelfish Pomacanthus maculosus (Forsskål) from a coral reef off Iraq, north-western Arabian Gulf, is described. Pseudanuretes anfoozi n. sp. belongs within a group of species characterised by the spear-like structure of leg 4. Morphologically P. anfoozi n. sp. is similar to P. papernai Kabata & Deets, 1988 in possessing an armature of I,6 on the third exopodal segment of leg 2 rather than I,7 in the other species of this group. However, P. anfoozi n. sp. can be distinguished from P. papernai by the possession of only 5 caudal setae instead of 6, and in the shape of the caudal rami, which are shorter and wider in new species. In addition, these two species differ in the shape of the genital complex of the adult female.

Description of a new species of Dermoergasilus Ho & Do, 1982 (Copepoda: Ergasilidae) from the redbelly tilapia Coptodon zillii (Gervais) (Perciformes: Cichlidae) in Basrah, southern Iraq.

A new species of Dermoergasilus Ho & Do, 1982 (Copepoda: Ergasilidae) parasitic on the gills of the redbelly tilapia Coptodon zillii (Gervais) from Basrah, southern Iraq, is described. Dermoergasilus cichlidus n. sp. is morphologically similar to D. longiabdominalis El-Rashidy & Boxshall, 2001 in the body length to width ratio, the swimming legs armature, the shape of the urosome and the small slightly spiniform seta on the exopodal segment of leg 5. However, the main differences are the presence of long setae on the endopod of leg 1 in D. cichlidus n. sp. (vs relatively short setae); the inner apical spine on the tip of the endopod of leg 1 being only slightly longer than the outer apical spine (vs inner apical spine about twice as long as the outer); the first interpodal sternite ornamented with spinules (vs interpodal sternites not ornamented); and the caudal rami and anal somite of equal length (vs caudal rami length c.2/3 of the length of the anal somite). Dermoergasilus occidentalis can be distinguished from D. cichlidus n. sp. by the relative length of the antennal segments, the absence of a minute terminal spine on the digital process of the caudal ramus and by differences in the mouth parts.

The Finding of Pacific Transvenid Acanthocephalan in the Arabian Gulf, with the Description of Paratrajectura longcementglandatus N. Gen., N. Sp. from Perciform Fishes and Emendation of Transvenidae.

The acanthocephalan Paratrajectura longcementglandatus n. gen., n. sp. (Transvenidae) is described from specimens of 2 perciform fish species, Nemipterus japonicus Bloch (Nemipteridae) and Otolithes ruber Bloch and Schneider, collected in the marine territorial waters of Iraq and Iran in the Arabian Gulf. Metal analysis of hook tip, middle, and base is also described using energy disruptive analysis for X-ray. The new genus is distinguished from the closely related genus Trajectura Pichelin and Cribb, 2001 described from wrasses (Labridae) (Perciformes) in the Pacific off Australia and Japan by having a proboscis with apical epidermal cone, long rhadinorhynchid-like tubular cement glands, relatively short and lobulated lemnisci, all proboscis hooks with prominent roots, females with subterminal gonopore and a rounded projection on the antero-dorsal end of the trunk, and males with elongate pre-equatorial testes reaching proboscis receptacle. In Trajectura, the proboscis lacks apical epidermal cone, the cement glands are pyriform or ovoid, the lemnisci are digitiform and considerably longer than the receptacle, the posterior proboscis hooks are rootless, the females have prominent finger-like trunk projection and terminal gonopore, and males with equatorial testes that may not be elongate and may be distant from the receptacle. The importance of cement glands in the diagnosis of genera and families in acanthocephalan taxonomy is stressed. Other features especially the type and arrangement of hooks on the proboscis, but not hook roots, are comparable in the 2 genera. Diagnosis of the family Transvenidae is emended.

Intraspecific variation in adult Uvitellina iraquensis Dronen, Ali & Al-Amura, 2013 (Cyclocoelidae: Haematotrephinae) from two collection sites of white-tailed lapwing, Vanellus leucurus (Lichtenstein) (Charadriiformes: Charadriidae), in Iraq.

A total of 19 white-tailed lapwing, Vanellus leucurus, were collected from Huwazah Marsh, north-eastern Basrah Province, Iraq from February to March and in October, 2011 (collection site #1) and 60 V. leucurus were collected from Al-Hammar Marshes, Thi-Qar Province, southern Iraq from July to November, 2012 (collection site #2), and examined for cyclocoelids. Nineteen Uvitellina iraquensis Dronen, Ali & Al-Amura, 2013 from site #1 and 17 specimens from site #2 were fixed with minimal compression for comparisons of morphological characteristics, measurements, morphometric percentages and morphometric ratios commonly used to distinguish species of cyclocoelids. An additional five adult specimens from site #1 were fixed without compression for comparisons. Specimens from site # 1 (n=24) represented only fully-developed, non-senescing adults, while those from site #2 (n=17) could be divided into fully-developed (non-senescing) adults (n=8); younger (smaller, less developed) adults (n=5) and senescing adults (n=4). The following characteristics were relatively consistent, and appeared to be valuable in identifying groups of similar species and distinguishing species in Uvitellina: the presence or absence of the oral sucker; the oral sucker/pharynx width ratio; the posterior extent of the cirrus sac relative to the intestinal bifurcation; the position of the genital pore relative to the pharynx; the position of the testes in the body; the length of the intertesticular space; the length of the posttesticular space; the lateral disposition of the uterine loops; the presence of a posteriorly-directed, tail-like extension off the posterior confluence of the vitelline fields; the posterior extent of the uterine loops relative to the gonads; and the size of fully-developed eggs. It may be beneficial to calculate the percentage that measurements represent relative to the body length to provide insight into the relationship of the size of a structure to increased size of the specimens (growth). Specimens fixed without compression appeared to be less uniform, less symmetrical, shorter, more distorted and the internal details were more difficult to see.

Morphological variability, ultrastructure and molecular characterisation of Hysterothylacium reliquens (Norris & Overstreet, 1975) (Nematoda: Raphidascarididae) from the oriental sole Brachirus orientalis (Bloch & Schneider) (Pleuronectiformes: Soleidae).

Hysterothylacium reliquens (Norris & Overstreet, 1975), a common ascaridoid nematode parasitic in the marine fishes in the Indian and Atlantic Oceans, has been reported to exhibit remarkable morphological variability in the lengths of body, oesophagus and spicules, and the number and arrangement of postcloacal papillae. In order to determine whether H. reliquens with a broad range of morphological variability in the above-mentioned respects, represents a complex of sibling species or a single species, and to evaluate if the specimens of H. reliquens collected from the Indian and Atlantic Oceans are the same species, numbers of H. reliquens collected from the oriental sole Brachirus orientalis (Bloch & Schneider) (Pleuronectiformes: Soleidae) in the Arabian Gulf (off Iraq) were characterised using molecular approaches by sequencing and analysing the ribosomal [large ribosomal DNA (28S) and internal transcribed spacer (ITS)] and mitochondrial [cytochrome c oxidase subunit 2 (cox2)] target regions, respectively. The results of molecular analysis strongly supported that: (i) the broad ranges of morphological variability in the above-mentioned respects in the newly collected specimens of H. reliquens, should be considered as intraspecific variation and the nematode material collected from B. orientalis in the Arabian Gulf represented a single species; (ii) the specimens of H. reliquens collected from the Indian and Atlantic Oceans belong to the same species, but they possibly represent different geographical populations. Moreover, the detailed morphology of the labial papillae, lateral alae, excretory pore, distal end of spicules, midventral precloacal papilla, phasmids and caudal papillae was revealed by SEM for the first time. The molecular and morphological data of H. reliquens obtained herein contribute to a more accurate diagnosis of this little known ascaridoid nematode.

First report on nematode parasite infection in the yellowbar angelfish Pomacanthus maculosus (Perciformes: Pomacanthidae) from the Iraqi coral reef, with description of a new species of Cucullanus (Nematoda: Ascaridida) using the integrated approaches.

The yellowbar angelfish Pomacanthus maculosus (Forsskål) (Perciformes: Pomacanthidae) is a beautiful, marine ornamental fish with very important commercial value. However, to date, no information is available on nematode parasite infection in P. maculosus. In the present study, the integrated approaches including light and scanning electron microscopy, and sequencing and analysing ribosomal [small ribosomal DNA (18S) and internal transcribed spacer (ITS)] and mitochondrial [cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (cox1)] target regions, respectively, were employed for the systematic evaluation of the nematode parasites firstly isolated from P. maculosus in the Iraqi coral reef. The results revealed that these nematodes represent a new species of Cucullanus (Ascaridida: Cucullanidae). The phylogenetic analyses based on 18S, ITS and cox1 sequences were constructed, respectively, to assess the phylogenetic relationships between the new species and the other cucullanids, and the monophyly of Cucullanus, as well as some its related genus-level taxa. The results supported C. extraneus n. sp. appear to be sister to C. hainanensis, and the genera Cucullanus, Dichelyne and Truttaedacnitis may be not monophyletic assemblages. This is the first report of the occurrence of nematode parasites in P. maculosus.

New records of philometrids (Nematoda: Philometridae) from marine fishes off Iraq, with the erection of two new species and the first description of the male of Philometroides eleutheronemae Moravec & Manoharan, 2013.

Based on light and scanning electron microscopical studies, the following five species of philometrid nematodes (Nematoda: Philometridae) are described from marine fishes from off Basrah, southern Iraq (Arabian Gulf): Philometra iraqiensis n. sp. (females) from the abdominal cavity and ovary of the Klunzinger's mullet Liza klunzingeri (Day) (Mugiliformes: Mugilidae), P. megalaspidis n. sp. (females) from the ovary of the torpedo scad Megalaspis cordyla (Linnaeus) (Perciformes: Carangidae), Philometra sp. 1 (females) from the ovary of the greater lizardfish Saurida tumbil (Bloch) (Aulopiformes: Synodontidae), Philometra sp. 2 (females) from the ovary of the bartail flathead Platycephalus indicus (Linnaeus) (Scorpaeniformes: Platycephalidae) and Philometroides eleutheronemae Moravec & Manoharan, 2013 (male and females) from the ovary of the fourfinger threadfin Eleutheronema tetradactylum (Shaw) (Perciformes: Polynemidae). The new species are characterised mainly by the body length, the length and structure of the oesophagus and caudal end and by the family of their fish hosts. The male and the gravid female of P. eleutheronemae are described for the first time; the finding of this species in Iraqi waters represents the first record of this nematode in the region of the Arabian (=Persian) Gulf.

Redescription of Paraleptus chiloscyllii Yin et Zhang, 1983 (Nematoda: Physalopteridae) from the Arabian carpetshark Chiloscyllium arabicum (Chondrichthyes: Hemiscylliidae) off Iraq.

The nematode Paraleptus chiloscyllii Yin et Zhang, 1983 (Physalopteridae) is redescribed on the basis of new material collected from the stomach of the Arabian carpetshark Chiloscyllium arabicum Gubanov (Hemiscylliidae) from marine waters off Iraq. Originally, P. chiloscyllii was found in C. plagiosum (Anonymous [Bennett]) from Fujian, China, but its description was rather poor and some important morphological features, such as deirids, shape and number of structures surrounding mouth, ventral unpaired papilla on the anterior cloacal lip, among others, were overlooked. It differs from its congeners in the shape of spicules and body length, although is very similar to the type species, P. scyllii Wu, 1927, only differing in the inequality of spicules. The generic diagnosis of Paraleptus was amended. Paraleptus minnanensis (Damin et Heqing, 2001) is considered a junior synonym of P. chiloscyllii and some morphological details of the posterior end of a male of P. australis Johnston et Mawson, 1943 are provided. The present finding of P. chiloscyllii in C. arabicum from off Iraq represents new host and geographical records.

Parasitic copepods from two species of commercial fishes collected off Iraq, with description of Hatschekia shari n. sp.

Two species of parasitic copepods, including one new species, are described based on specimens collected from off Basrah, Iraq (Arabian Gulf). Hatschekia shari n. sp. (Siphonostomatoida: Hatschekiidae) was found from the gill filaments of the spangled emperor Lethrinus nebulosus (Forsskål) (Perciformes: Lethrinidae). The new species is characterised by the following characters in the female: a rectangular cephalothorax with dorsal frame composed of two short and one long bifid longitudinal bars, connecting to one short and one long latitudinal bars; elongate, cylindrical trunk without posterolateral processes or lobes; absence of parabasal papillae; and antennae bearing middle segments without narrow median part and with terminal claws without basal conical processes. Bactrochondria formosana Ho, Lin & Liu, 2011 (Cyclopoida: Chondracanthidae) was found on the gill filaments of the largescale tonguesole Cynoglossus arel (Bloch & Schneider) (Pleuronectiformes: Cynoglossidae). Close comparison of the specimens of B. formosana collected from off Iraq with the original description revealed some differences in elements and ornamentations on the body and appendages. Our finding of B. formosana represents not only a new record from the Indian Ocean but also from a new host.

Ligophorus spp. (Monogenoidea: Dactylogyridae) parasitizing mullets (Teleostei: Mugiliformes: Mugilidae) occurring in the fresh and brackish waters of the Shatt Al-Arab River and Estuary in southern Iraq, with the description of Ligophorus sagmarius sp. n. from the greenback mullet Chelon subviridis (Valenciennes).

The gills of three of five species of mullets (Teleostei: Mugiliformes: Mugilidae) collected from the brackish and fresh waters of southern Iraq were infected with species of Ligophorus (Monogenoidea: Dactylogyridae) as follows: greenback mullet Chelon subviridis (Valenciennes) infected with Ligophorus lebedevi Dmitrieva, Gerasev, Gibson, Pronkina and Galli, 2012, Ligophorus bantingensis Soo and Lim, 2012, Ligophorus sagmarius n. sp., and Ligophorus fluviatilis (Bychowsky, 1949) Dmitrieva, Gerasev, Gibson, Pronkina, and Galli, 2012; Klunzinger's mullet Liza klunzingeri (Day) with L. bantingensis, L. fluviatilis, and an apparently undescribed species of Ligophorus; and abu mullet Liza abu (Heckel) with L. bantingensis and L. fluviatilis. The keeled mullet Liza carinata (Valenciennes) and Speigler's mullet Valamugil speigleri (Bleeker) were uninfected. L. sagmarius n. sp. is described, and L. lebedevi and L. bantingensis are redescribed. Available specimens of L. fluviatilis and the undescribed species of Ligophorus from Klunzinger's mullet were insufficient for description.

Gyrodactylus aff. mugili Zhukov, 1970 (Monogenoidea: Gyrodactylidae) from the gills of mullets (Mugiliformes: Mugilidae) collected from the inland waters of southern Iraq, with an evalutation of previous records of Gyrodactylus spp. on mullets in Iraq.

Gyrodactylus aff. mugili Zhukov, 1970 (Monogenoidea: Gyrodactylidae) is recorded and described from the gill lamellae of 11 of 35 greenback mullet, Chelon subviridis (Valenciennes) (minimum prevalence 31%), from the brackish waters of the Shatt Al-Arab Estuary in southern Iraq. The gyrodactylid was also found on the gill lamellae of one of eight Speigler's mullet, Valamugil speigleri (Bleeker), from the brackish waters of the Shatt Al-Basrah Canal (minimum prevalence 13%). Fifteen Klunzinger's mullet, Liza klunzingeri (Day), and 13 keeled mullet, Liza carinata (Valenciennes), collected and examined from southern Iraqi waters, were apparently uninfected. The gyrodactylids from the greenback mullet and Speigler's mullet were considered to have affinity to G. mugili Zhukov, 1970, and along with G. mugili may represent members of a species complex occurring on mullets in the Indo-Pacific Region. A single damaged gyrodactylid from the external surfaces of the abu mullet, Liza abu (Heckel), was insufficient for species identification. Previously identified species of Gyrodactylus recorded on L. abu in Iraq by various authors were considered possible misidentifications or accidental infections.

Mawsonascaris parva sp. nov. (Nematoda: Ascaridida) from the Arabian whipray Himantura randalli Last, Manjaji-Matsumoto et Moore (Rajiformes: Dasyatidae) off the coast of Iraq.

Mawsonascaris parva sp. nov. collected from the Arabian whipray Himantura randalli Last, Manjaji-Matsumoto et Moore (Rajiformes: Dasyatidae) off the coast of Iraq is described and illustrated using light and scanning electron microscopy. The new species differs from its congeners by its small body size (8.11-18.2 mm long), the absence of an intestinal caecum, the slightly unequal spicules (left and right spicule 1.08-2.50 mm and 0.98-2.01 mm long, respectively, representing 12.1-13.7% and 10.1-12.1% of body length), the number and arrangement of male caudal papillae (13-14 pairs in total, arranged as: 7-8 pairs of precloacal, 1 pair of double paracloacal and 5 pairs of postcloacal) and the presence of a single, median precloacal papilla. Thus, a total of six species of Mawsonascaris are now known and this is the first species of this genus recorded from species of Himantura.

Ergasilus boleophthalmi sp. n. (Copepoda: Ergasilidae) parasitic on gobiid fishes from Shatt Al-Basrah Canal, South of Iraq.

A new species of Ergasilus von Nordmann, 1832 (Copepoda: Ergasilidae) parasitic on the gills of two gobiid fishes Boleophthalmus dussumieri Valenciennes and Bathygobius fuscus (Rüppell, 1930) from Shatt Al-Basrah Canal, Iraq, is described. The new species differs from all its congeners by a combination of character states including the shape of the body, and the structure and armature of the swimming legs.